AN invitation has gone out to school and college students to enter works of art to an exhibition and competition on the eve of Royston’s Art Festival.

This year’s event runs from September 29 to October 2 and will feature events all feeding in to the “Crossing the Line” theme.

Works will be exhibited at the Methodist Church during the festival weekend from October 1-2 and will be judged by a local artist, Nicola Hancox.

Prizes will be awarded in various age groups by Anthony Slinn, a professional artist and lecturer - following his talk on French Impressionists.

Joan Munden, of the Queens Road church, said: “Some ideas for your picture may include winning a race, scoring a goal, a railway crossing, going on holiday, the line between right and wrong, or anything else that crossing the line means to you.”

Entry forms can be found online at www.royston-methodist.org.uk/ or are available from Mrs Munden on 01763 241217.

The deadline for entrants is September 28 and all works must be delivered to the church between 3-9pm on September 30.

It is not just the artists who can look forward to the festival as a Royston drama group have been slaving away all summer on a special project.

The Corvus Amateur Dramatic Society have feverishly been rehearsing their latest production - a rendition of Oscar Wilde’s classic play The Importance of Being Earnest.

Greneway School, Garden Walk, will host the play over the last two weekends of September.

Director Bernadette Parsons said the cast are thoroughly enjoying the famous wit’s script and the rehearsals are fuelled by the quintessentially English cucumber sandwich.

“It’s a fantastically funny play, the one-liners and humour in it are so fresh, it’s hard to believe it was written over 100 years ago,” she said.

“And of course, everyone knows ‘the handbag’ line.”

The play will be performed on Friday 23, Saturday 24, Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October at 7.30pm. Tickets range from £7-9 and are available from 07925 674967.